Transplant Care
If you’re facing a transplant, you want care that’s going to give you not just a longer life, but a better quality one, too. At UNC Medical Center, you’ll find a collaborative team of specialists that come together with a singular goal: to help you and your family meet both the challenges and the exciting new possibilities that come with transplant surgery.
Transplant Services We Offer
You’ll find a full spectrum of transplant care for adults and children at UNC Medical Center. Learn more about:
Informed Consent for Transplant Evaluation Education
Before being evaluated for a transplant, patients are required to watch this short video.
A Personalized Approach From a Multidisciplinary Team
At UNC Medical Center, you’re always at the center of care. You can count on a treatment plan that’s tailored to you and backed by the expertise, resources and groundbreaking techniques available only at an academic medical center. You’ll start with an evaluation that’s truly comprehensive. We’ll get to know you and your family, learn about your medical condition, and ask about your treatment goals and health care wishes.
At the same time, you’ll get to know us. Your treatment team will include a variety of specialists, such as:
- Transplant Nurse coordinators, who organize your care activities and act as liaisons between you and the rest of your UNC transplant team
- Physicians who specialize in your condition
- Transplant surgeons
- Infectious disease physicians, who provide specialized care to transplant patients with compromised immune systems
- Pharmacists
- Anesthesiologists, who are specially trained and experienced in transplant
- Pathologists, who examine body tissue and fluids to assist with diagnoses
- Transplant nurses, who are specially trained in caring for transplant patients
- Psychologists and psychiatrists, who help you cope emotionally
- Transplant Social workers/Case Managers, who prepare you and your family for the transplant experience and connect you with support groups and agencies in your community
- Dietitians, who help you create a healthful eating plan, so you can be in your best health while waiting for or recovering from a transplant
- Physical Therapists, who help you maintain strength while you wait for your transplant and offer rehabilitation programs afterward
- Transplant Financial Coordinators who help you understand your insurance or Medicare/Medicaid coverage and offer assistance with getting any necessary insurance authorizations
- Transplant Program Assistants, who work with you to schedule orientation class and evaluation appointments
- Chaplains, who provide emotional and spiritual support
You’ll find immediate support from every member of the team. And they’ll stay with you long after transplant occurs to provide expert follow-up care.
Transplant Facilities and Services
Take advantage of dedicated resources and specialized services for transplant patients at UNC Medical Center, including:
- A dedicated pre-transplant physical therapy program to make sure your body’s in the best possible condition for your transplant
- Advanced imaging and laboratory services
- Carolina Air Care – 24/7 emergency air and ground transportation, including a dedicated pediatric transport team
- Adult and pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) staffed by nurses specially trained in the care of transplant patients
- An extensive post-transplant rehabilitation program to get you back to the activities you enjoy
- Assistance finding affordable local housing
- Specialized services for pediatric transplant patients and their families
Learn more about specialized facilities and services for heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas or bone marrow and stem cell transplants.
Nationally Recognized Transplant Care
You know that you’re getting the best transplant care available at UNC Medical Center because we are a Medicare Certified Transplant Center and a national Center of Excellence (COE) for many commercial insurance plans including:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Aetna
- OPTUM
- Life Trac
- Cigna Lifesource
COE means that these programs have a proven track record for delivering better results—including fewer complications and readmissions—than other hospitals. It also recognizes our dedication to simplifying the administrative process involved in this complex care so that you and your family can focus on your medical issues. We accept Medicare, Medicaid, and many other private insurance carriers.
A Family-Centered Approach
At UNC Medical Center, your family is an important part of the treatment and recovery process. We have services to answer your questions, address any concerns, offer support and ease financial pressures as much as possible. You’ll get simple, honest answers to your questions every step of the way, so everyone better understands the process.
If you’re from out of town, we’ll make every effort to schedule multiple appointments on the same days to help you make the most of your time in Chapel Hill. We also can assist with arranging affordable accommodations. Options may include:
Your caregiver also can find education and support at a caregiver support group. Ask your transplant nurse coordinator or social worker for more information.
